a MAN has been ordered to knock down a fence around the land he bought at auction despite following guidance on the council’s website.

The land in Balmoral Road, Mountsorrel, has been in much dispute since it was put up for sale by Jelsons more than 18 months ago.

The Echo previously reported that the land was sent to auction, where residents tried to club together to buy the plot in order to save what they described as a wildlife corridor.

They were outbid, but some residents managed to buy small plots. At a recent planning meeting, resident Stephen Brown told the plans committee: “In 2014, my neighbour and I bought a small area of land – it was sold at auction – the land was very overgrown. We installed a fence.”

He said the fence was only installed after visiting the council’s website for guidance and he believed the plot was “vacant land not open space.”

However, the council called for enforcement action to remove the fence as it was an “unauthorised change of use of land from public open space to garden area.”

Planning officers did admit that the website had changed following this issue on March 24, but it should be used for “guidance only.”

They said the fence changed the character of the land. Coun Mark Lowe said: “He has bought this land at auction. The borough council had the chance to buy it but did not.

“He has made that area look quite smart. I think he bought it thinking it was vacant.

“To change the goal posts by changing the website – it is unfair for us now to contemplate taking legal action against him. All he is trying to do is stop people rambling on private property. It belongs to this gentleman.”

Coun Sandra Forrest disagreed and added: “It is high, solid, intrusive and oppressive. The fences changes the whole character of the area.”